Duality : Book 1 of Codex Elysium

Chapter 38 (edited)

Chapter 38

1600 years ago: Asgard

The dining tables in Valhalla were packed with feasting warriors. The atmosphere was cheerful and jubilant as warriors bragged of mighty deeds on the battlefield or beautiful maidens they had spent quality time with. The twin fires blazed, smoke and smells of roasted meat filled the air. Upon the stage at the far end of the hall, the gods also feasted. Only twenty-one gods ever attended the feasts these days. Ever since Loki's imprisonment, his wife Sigyn had refused to sit and feast with his capturers. In fact she was rarely seen in Asgard. When she wasn't tending to Loki she spent her days back in Jotunheim.

Unnoticed by everyone was a small hooded figure creeping between the ranks of tables. She moved slowly and kept shooting glances up at the gods and then back at the doors through which she came. Gullveig had only ever been in Valhalla once before and that had ended up as a very unpleasant experience. The Vanir had sent the witch with a message. She was instructed to display all the Vanir's powers to the Aesir, to tell them of their great wealth, how they delighted in all lusts of the flesh, no matter how perverse, the dark magic they possessed and even to speak of their control and enslavement of lower beings.

Odin and the other gods had listened to all this with growing horror and mounting fury. The Aesir were not perfect gods, they all had their faults but they prided themselves on wisdom, valour, honour and dignity. Magic was only to be used as a final resort and not for every whim and personal pleasure. The idea of slaves was the final straw, Odin declared that the world would be better off without such a vile creature as Gullveig.

The guards tried to subdue the witch but she fought back. Gullveig ended up being stabbed by swords and spears repeatedly but the witch would not die. In a fit of violent rage, Thor waded into the battle and picked the witch up. He hurled Gullveig into one of the great fireplaces and the gods watched her burn to death. Minutes later, Gullveig was reborn from the ashes and she stepped out of the fireplace completely unharmed. This did nothing to help Thor's temper, he hurled the witch back into the fire. Three times the witch was burned to death and three times she was reborn. Before Thor could try it for a fourth time, Odin interceded. He banished the witch from Asgard. Gullveig fled as fast as she could and vowed never to return.

Gullveig pulled her cloak tighter around her as she began to climb the stairs to the table of the gods. Shuffling forward, she was spotted by some of the gods who fell silent and stared. As more of the gods fell quiet, the rest of the hall began to pick up on the shift in mood and began to fall silent. Gullveig reached the table and was greeted by total silence. Odin glared at her and rose to his feet.  Even though the witches face was shrouded in shadows from the cloak, Odin still knew exactly who she was.

"I thought I made it clear that you are not welcome here in my hall!"

Thor rose to his feet and added. "Are we going to have to have another roasting session?"

Gullveig flinched at the threat. "Please!" She stammered. "I come with a simple message from Vanaheim, I mean no harm."

"I hope it is much better than the last message you brought here!" Odin shouted.

"We have no desire to go to war with them again," said Freyja.

Gullveig tilted her head and studied the goddess that was a strange comment to come from her, especially as she was on the other side when the first war of the gods broke out.

"Please have some mercy, holy gods. The Vanir sent me with a message simply asking for help."

Odin reluctantly sat back down and glared at the witch. His voice took on a dangerous edge.